


breaking wave

by immolationfox



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Background Robert Parrish, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-The Raven King, Pre-Call Down the Hawk, The Inevitable Breakdown, after adam goes to see his dad in the epilogue, but theres no other spoilers, emotional catharsis, i dunno how to tag adam at the beginning of the fic, it might be kind of panic attack? its like, the aftermath of seeing your abusive dad yknow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-13
Updated: 2020-12-13
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:09:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28049022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/immolationfox/pseuds/immolationfox
Summary: Adam goes to see Robert Parrish, and the aftermath.
Relationships: Ronan Lynch & Adam Parrish & Orphan Girl | Opal, Ronan Lynch/Adam Parrish
Comments: 2
Kudos: 62





	breaking wave

**Author's Note:**

> i should write an "the inevitable breakdown" zuko fic

Adam pulled into the driveway of the Barns. He put the BMW in park and turned on the parking break. He put his hands on the wheel. He didn't get out. 

He'd seen his father.

He’d seen his father.

He'd gone back there, alone. 

Ronan knocked on the window. Woodenly, Adam looked up at him. He saw Ronan heave a great sigh and then he yanked the door open. He pulled it hard enough the door bounced back, hitting him. Ronan reached inside and turned off the car, then undid Adam's seat belt, his shoulders brushing against Adam's chest. Then he wrapped his hands around Adam's biceps and manhandled him out of the car. 

He sidestepped them both over until Adam could lean against the back door. Adam was glad Ronan didn't step away. He was pretty sure he'd fall. Ronan stepped into his space, one hand gripping his bicep beneath his shirt sleeve while the other skimmed down his waist and back up to touch his neck. Adam let Ronan look him over. The other boy wouldn't be happy until he was certain Robert Parrish hadn't laid a hand on him. 

"Parrish." 

Adam looked at him. 

There was something complicated in his expression. Adam didn't have the wherewithal to try and parse it out. He'd gone back to the trailer park. He'd gone back.

Ronan leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Adam's forehead, and that one simple act was enough to snap the cords Adam had bound himself together with. He was crying, tears coursing down his face silently. His body was wrecked with great shuddering breaths as he filled his lungs properly for the first time in what felt like hours. Ronan continued to hold him close, one arm firm around Adam’s shoulders, the other tight around his waist, and Adam didn’t notice the added pressure around his legs until he drew back from Ronan’s chest and saw Opal hugging his legs tightly, crouched between the car and the two of them.

Carefully, Adam withdrew from Ronan - Ronan let him go, albeit reluctantly - and Adam sank to his knees, so he could draw Opal into his lap. She went easily, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and pressing her face against his neck. Then Ronan went to his knees next to them, wrapping his arms around two of the people he loved most. 

Opal said something. It was muffled by how close she’d pressed her face into Adam. Ronan brushed a few stray hairs behind her ear.

“Speak up, Opal,” he said softly. Opal drew back and put her hands on Adam’s cheeks.

“Don’t like it when Adam is sad,” she said quietly, a worried frown creasing her forehead that was so exactly like Ronan’s that it made Adam’s chest seize.

“I’m not-” Adam cleared his throat, voice hoarse from disuse and tears. He tried again. “I don’t think I’m sad, exactly. I just.” He paused. Not all the words were filling the blanks in his mind. He settled with: “Lots of feelings. Too many.”

Opal nodded seriously.

“Like Kerah sometimes.”

Ronan snorted and reached out to thumb at a smear of dirt on Opal’s face.

“Yeah,” he agreed, and Adam felt a sharp burst of pride at his admittance. “Like me sometimes. Now let’s get inside. Snacktime.”

Opal took off for the house without another word, leaving Ronan to haul Adam to his feet and into another bruising hug. 

“I told you you shouldn’t have gone,” he said fiercely. “It took too much out of you.”

“I needed to, Ronan,” Adam said wearily. He didn’t want to fight about it again. Thankfully, Ronan didn’t appear to have any intention to fight. Not about that, at least. Ronan pressed a kiss to Adam’s hair, his forehead, his cheek, the corner of his mouth.

“I’m just glad you’re back. I was worried.”

Overhead, Chainsaw circled, cawing at them, before swooping to the house. Somewhere, in one of the fields, Adam heard the lowing of cows and the bleating of sheep. It sounded so unlike anything Adam was used to, and he’d been living at the Barns for weeks. Not even the crickets sounded the same. He heaved a sigh, contentedly, and pressed his face into Ronan.

“I’m glad I’m back too. Now let’s go inside before Opal eats another cereal box.”

“Shit,” Ronan said suddenly, and they raced inside.


End file.
